News Archive

"The new law creates the Utah Retirement Plan Exchange, a program through which eligible private-sector employers may review, compare, and select one or more retirement plans to provide coverage to their employees. The options employers could make available to participating private-sector employees include an IRA, a Roth IRA, or a 401(k). Employees will be automatically enrolled, but can opt out."  MORE >>

"Recent Massachusetts case law confirms that Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) obligations run only to the employer entity, not to individual executives or managers ... Courts have also clarified that PFML does not require continued accrual of vacation, sick time, or service credit during leave, so long as benefits earned before leave are preserved and employees are fully reinstated when they return. For organizations administering paid leave across multiple jurisdictions, these rulings highlight the need for clear and consistent policies and careful attention to state‑specific differences."  MORE >>

"Beginning June 30, 2027, all noncompetition covenants are void and unenforceable unless they fall under an exception to the law.... The statute also takes an indirect swipe at training repayment agreement provisions (TRAPs), stay or pay provisions, and incentive clawbacks and forfeitures."  MORE >>

"Virginia Governor Spanberger is expected to sign legislation that would expand paid sick leave to all public and private employees. The paid sick leave legislation would mandate one hour of paid sick leave for every thirty hours worked, with an annual accrual cap of forty hours, and includes provisions that could create challenges for employers, such as limited notice requirements and transfer of accrued leave. The paid family and medical leave bills would establish a payroll-funded insurance program, providing qualifying employees with up to twelve weeks of paid leave at 80 percent of their average weekly wage, with contributions split between employers and employees."  MORE >>

"The bill ... adjusts how the premium is split between medical leave and family leave for employers participating in the state program: Employers will now be able to deduct the full employee share of the medical leave premium. For the family leave premium, employers may deduct up to an amount equal to the total family leave premium plus 45% of the medical leave premium, minus the full medical leave premium."  MORE >>

"The law applies to all private New York State for-profit and non-profit employers who do not offer their employees an employer sponsored retirement plan, and who also meet all of the following requirements: [1] Had at all times during the previous calendar year at least ten employees in New York State, [2] Has been in business for at least two years, and [3] Has not offered, in the preceding two years, an employer sponsored retirement plan."  MORE >>

"Registration deadlines are staggered based on employer size, with the first deadline -- March 18, 2026 -- applying to employers with 30 or more employees.... Participating employers are required to facilitate enrollment and payroll deductions, but do not sponsor the IRAs."  MORE >>

"The TTCA is still moving forward, but no contributions or payroll deductions are required until January 1, 2027. No employee benefits will be available until January 2028.... [F]orthcoming final COMAR regulations ... will clarify private plan standards, contribution mechanics, claims handling, and employer responsibilities. Early preparation, especially around systems, payroll, benefits integration, determining covered employees for contribution purposes, and employee communications, will make the transition smoother."  MORE >>

"There are several potential minefields employers must watch out for when considering state paid family medical leave programs ... With an expanding remote workforce, employers must ensure they know the laws in the state where the employee works. In some instances, employees may even work in more than one state during the course of a given year."  MORE >>

"The decision highlights key differences between the PFML and other laws covering Massachusetts employers, and holds that, unlike statutes that expressly permit claims against individual corporate officers and agents, the PFML limits liability to the employer entity itself."  [Laughlin v. BinStar, Inc. (Delaware), No. 2584CV01816 (Mass. Super. Ct. Feb. 26, 2026)]  MORE >>

"For over 50 years, [ERISA] has served as the foundation around which employer benefit plans are built. That foundation, however, has shown cracks in recent years as the cost of healthcare continues to rise and many states try to take regulatory matters into their own hands. From Alabama to California, state houses have passed legislation intent on keeping pharmaceutical costs in check. Many of these laws are being challenged in the courts. How those cases play out could mean change and greater complexity in the ways that employers manage health and welfare benefits."  MORE >>

"RISavers provides retirement plan coverage to employees of private-sector employers that do not offer a plan and have five or more employees. ... [A] measure before the Rhode Island House would expand coverage beyond even those with employers."  MORE >>

"The amended Healthy Terminals Act significantly expands the definition of 'covered airport worker' to include most employees working at least 50 percent of their time at New York's major airports.... The current health and welfare supplement is $5.55 per hour, up to 40 hours per week. Employers may satisfy this obligation by paying the amount in cash or offsetting the amount with the value of the employer-provided health insurance or other qualifying fringe benefits. This rate is tied to SCA wage determinations and is subject to change."  MORE >>

"The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries recently updated its rules to reflect the new qualifying reason employees may use sick leave: time off to donate blood in connection with a voluntary program that is approved or accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks or the American Red Cross. This new qualifying reason was added effective January 1, 2026."  MORE >>

"A bill before the [Rhode Island] state House would create tax credits for employer-provided retirement plans to put auto-enrollment in place.... The credit attributable to any eligible employee would not exceed $100 per employee per taxable year, and the aggregate credit allowed to any eligible employer would not exceed $10,000. per taxable year."  MORE >>

"The order followed a market conduct examination that identified multiple violations of West Virginia laws governing PBMs. The enforcement action reflects increasing regulatory scrutiny of PBMs by state authorities. Several states ... have heightened scrutiny regarding reimbursement practices, rebate administration and relationships with pharmacies and health plans."  MORE >>

"While federal policymakers continue to debate broader reforms to the pharmaceutical supply chain, state attorneys general and insurance commissioners have begun taking matters into their own hands. Recent enforcement actions involving two of the nation's largest PBMs, CVS Caremark and Express Scripts, illustrate how states are increasingly regulating PBMs and challenging practices that they believe harm independent pharmacies and drive up drug costs."  MORE >>

"The law set July 1, 2027 as the deadline for the state plans to offer self-directed brokerage accounts with at least one [digital asset] option. Affected plans are Hoosier START, the state's public employees' deferred compensation plan, which offers 457(b) and 401(a) plans; the state legislators' defined contribution plan; and other retirement funds and accounts for 'specified' public employees and teachers."  MORE >>

"[Rev. Rul. 2025-4] outlines the federal income tax withholding and reporting obligations for employers with respect to state-run PFML programs.... IRS issued Notice 2026-6, delaying the compliance deadline until 2027 for some of the most complicated aspects of Rev. Rul. 2025-4.... [T]he extension applies to withholding and reporting obligations in connection with medical leave benefits paid by a state that are attributable to employer contributions."  MORE >>

"An employer offering group medical coverage to Illinois employees must provide a comparison of the plan's covered benefits with the essential health benefits (EHBs) provided by the Illinois benchmark plan. The law applies to fully insured and self-funded medical plans. Regulators have posted a sample template and FAQ. Although employers don't have to offer the EHBs listed, they do have to identify which EHBs the employer-sponsored plan includes and excludes."  MORE >>

"[E]mployers will be required to provide additional paid leave and unpaid leave to all employees, including new employees upon hire with no probation period By March 8, employers are required to revise policies and procedures to comply, and must also physically post and distribute an updated notice of employee rights to current employees and new hires"  MORE >>

"The deadline for a covered employer to register for the program depends on an employer's number of employees: [1] For employers with 30 or more employees, the deadline is March 18, 2026. [2] For employers with 15-29 employees, the deadline is May 15, 2026. [3] For employers with 10-14 employees, the deadline is July 15, 2026."  MORE >>

"Alaska has enacted a law that allows the Alaska Division of Insurance to license and regulate PBMs [and] extends the Division's equivalent licensing and regulatory powers to third-party administrators (TPAs) ... The new Alaska law has avoided ERISA preemption by establishing an exemption for TPAs that provide administrative services solely for ERISA plans. However, the TPAs subject to the new law -- even if they service some ERISA-governed plans -- will now have to take certain measures[.]"  MORE >>

"The new rules, which take effect on July 17, 2026, will expand the employers covered under the NJFLA and the employees eligible for job-protected leave. The new law also amends the Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) and Family Leave Insurance (FLI) laws to provide job protection for individuals receiving these benefits."  MORE >>

"[T]he co-founder and former CEO of a discount retail business asserted claims against both the retail business as well as former board members and directors individually, alleging that they violated the PFMLA by repeatedly contacting him while he was on protected medical leave and demanding he perform work.... The Court compared the definition of 'employer' under the PFMLA against the definition in the Massachusetts Wage Act, and ultimately held that the PFMLA did not extend liability to a corporate employer's officers or agents." [Jackson Laughlin v. BinStar, Inc. (Delaware), No. 2584CV01816 (Mass. Super. Ct. Feb. 26, 2026)]  MORE >>